Manual action rifles aka Repeating rifles basics

**The Smith** · 04-26-2012, 10:50 PM

For this particular guide I'm going to be focusing on bolt action and lever action rifles.

Lever action repeating rifles

Two very early examples of lever action repeating rifles are the Spencer repeating rifle and the Henry repeating rifle.

the basic function of the lever is a block that moves up and down the receiver simultaneously ejecting a round upwards while lifting a round from the tubular magazine to the chamber

The repeating rifle was invented mainly for calvary units during the civil war due to how difficult it was to reload firearms while mounted and they needed away to reliably fire multiple shots while on the move from horse back. Due to just how effective they were lead to massive popularity making them an obvious choice in the expansion westward. These weapons have tubular magazines that can hold anywhere from 5 to 16 rounds making them high capacity for such an old and relatively compact design. Due to the feeding nature lever action rifles are extremely reliable and fast to fire.

Modern repeaters while not quite as popular today are still used regularly especially in places with large game. A great example of just how good a modern repeater can be is the Marlin Guide Gun chambered in .45-70 govt it is a reliable high power accurate and fast shooting rifle using a very old design.

Bolt Action rifles

The first bolt action rifle was made in 1824 it didn't take long for this technology to take over the military market

Bolt actions generally consist of a rotating or sometimes straight pull bolt configuration that houses the firing mechanism. The action of rotating the bolt cocks the weapon and ejects the casing when pulled back then pushing the bolt forward pushes a round from the magazine to chamber making the action less complicated then the lever action counterparts.

The bolt action is still extremely popular in civilian, military, and law enforcement uses. One of the most iconic and popular rifles is the Remington model 700. The 700 comes in an insane amount of configurations and calibers showing the versatility of the bolt action platform.

A fairly standard 700

An extremely heavily modified 700 showing the range of customisation that is available for these rifles

That's about it for this extremely short guide I got pretty lazy couldn't really think of much to put in it but here is a small selection of these rifles that I think make great additions to any shooters collection.

Marlin Guide: http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/1895.asp
Marlin Model 336BL: http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...fire/336BL.asp
Marlin Model X7Y (.308 version): http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...Action/x7y.asp
Remington 700 Varmint: http://www.remington.com/products/fi...armint-sf.aspx
Remington 700 SPS tactical: http://www.remington.com/products/fi...-tactical.aspx
Ruger Gunsite Scout: http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsit...le/models.html
Ruger M77 Hawkeye standard: http://www.ruger.com/products/m77Haw...rd/models.html
Mosin Nagant for people wanting a cheap big bolt rifle: http://www.jgsales.com/mosin-nagant-...r.-p-1041.html

**Hazza32** · 04-26-2012, 11:04 PM

Great guide, could have done with some info on calibres though. I don't know much about rifle calibres other than .50BMG will go through a lot of shit and so will the .338

**The Smith** · 04-26-2012, 11:10 PM

I was thinking about it but it will probably be a different thread since the amount of calibers that are relevant here are insane

this is just the 700

Cartridge	Remington 700 Models (barrel length in inch)"
	BDL	CDL	LV SF	Mtn LSS	SPS/ADL	SPS DM	SPS Stlss	Sendero SFII	VLS	VSF	VS SFII	XCR	VTR
.17 Rem			22"
.17 Rem Fireball					24"					26"	26"		22"
.204 Ruger			22"				24"		26"		26"		22"
.220 Swift											26"
.221 Rem Fireball			22"
.223 Remington		24"	22"		24"		24"		26"	26"	26"		22"
.22–250 Rem			22"				24"		26"	26"	26"		22"
.243 Win	22"	24"			20"/24"	24"	24"		26"				22"
6mm Remington				22"
.25-06 Rem		24"					24"					24"
.264 Win Mag								26"
.270 Winchester	22"	24"		22"	24"	24"	24"					24"
.270 WSM					24"		24"					24"
.280 Remington				22"
7mm-08 Rem		24"		22"	20"/24"	24"	24"					24"
7mm Rem Mag	24"	26"			26"	26"	26"	26"				26"
7mm RUM					26"			26"				26"
.30-06	22"	24"		22"	24"	24"	24"					24"
.308 Win					20"/24"		24"		26"	26"			22"
.300 WSM					24"		24"					24"
.300 Win Mag		26"			26"	26"	26"	26"				26"
.300 RUM	26"	26"			26"		26"	26"				26"
.338 RUM												26"
.338 Win Mag												26"
.338 Lapua Mag												26"
.35 Whelen		24"
.375 H&H												24"
.375 RUM												24"
.458 WM	24"

[edit]

**rocklin** · 04-26-2012, 11:17 PM

30-30. killed more animals (and some people too) on this planet then any other cartridge, well maybe .303 british and 30-30 winchester are kinda a tie i think

30-30 in a lever action is still a very popular combo in this magnum age.

**The Smith** · 04-26-2012, 11:40 PM

You get a smooth enough .30-30 and you are in for a fun day of shooting

**rocklin** · 04-27-2012, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by The Smith

You get a smooth enough .30-30 and you are in for a fun day of shooting

i agree, 44-40 is nice in a lever action as well.

**The Smith** · 04-27-2012, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by rocklin

i agree, 44-40 is nice in a lever action as well.

My favorite lever gun round has to be .45-70 govt I just wish it didn't cost so much

**Thumper** · 04-27-2012, 01:56 AM

Beautiful guide, beautiful guns, beautiful Rachel (i think thats her name)

**infinityshock** · 04-27-2012, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Hazza32

Great guide, could have done with some info on calibres though. I don't know much about rifle calibres other than .50BMG will go through a lot of shit and so will the .338

brilliant observation. yet another dubious statement from the chest-slapping window licker

bullet content is as much a factor in penetration as is caliber

go sit on a telephone pole and see how much shit you can get it to go thru

**The Smith** · 04-27-2012, 02:06 AM

I figure I should put this in here since I've been beatin off to .45-70 in here this is a .45-70 Mosin

**Thumper** · 04-27-2012, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by The Smith

I figure I should put this in here since I've been beatin off to .45-70 in here this is a .45-70 Mosin

thats pretty sexy, i gotta admit.

**General McBoozer** · 04-28-2012, 12:49 AM

I know a guy who is making some custom mosins; a .300 Blackout, a .223/5.56, and a 500 S&W. He has the .300 blackout and .223/5.56 bolts made and the all the barrels made and is working on how to get the 5.56 too feed well with the mosin magazine. I'm just gitty with excitement to shoot all three. Shit is gonna be awesome.

**The Smith** · 04-29-2012, 04:01 AM

Originally Posted by GMB

I know a guy who is making some custom mosins; a .300 Blackout, a .223/5.56, and a 500 S&W. He has the .300 blackout and .223/5.56 bolts made and the all the barrels made and is working on how to get the 5.56 too feed well with the mosin magazine. I'm just gitty with excitement to shoot all three. Shit is gonna be awesome.

That's interesting the .45-70 mosins only needed new barrels and minor tweaks to use those .45's which is what I thought was really cool

**Thumper** · 04-29-2012, 04:47 AM

Originally Posted by GMB

I know a guy who is making some custom mosins; a .300 Blackout, a .223/5.56, and a 500 S&W. He has the .300 blackout and .223/5.56 bolts made and the all the barrels made and is working on how to get the 5.56 too feed well with the mosin magazine. I'm just gitty with excitement to shoot all three. Shit is gonna be awesome.

How much is running those prices, if you know?

**General McBoozer** · 04-29-2012, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by Thumper

How much is running those prices, if you know?

He has about 10ish hours in each rifle right now, and I donno who made his barrels or if he made them himself, most likely got them made. I can ask him for a run down for each project next time I see him. I will also be begging him to get his FFL01 and build me a few rifles. There is a certain allure to a custom rifle, which is magnified x36 times when it is build on a Mosin Nagant.

I have a custom 5.45 bolt that I want to get made, I've found a custom barrel shop that will do the barrel for roughly $400ish, I just need to get a donor rifle. I'd like to do this build on a Mosin Nagant, but I'll probably settle for a Savage Axis in .223 as a donor.

Edit:

Originally Posted by The Smith

That's interesting the .45-70 mosins only needed new barrels and minor tweaks to use those .45's which is what I thought was really cool

I have never handled a 45-70, donno how thick they are. But the main issue with the 5.56 is the dang little guys are too small to work with the interrupter. They just squeeze right on by. That and I imagine that they slide all over the place in that long magazine, he hasn't specified if they do or not. I don't have my mosin near me, so I can't put a 5.56 in the mag to see how it fits length wise. It might be right at that difference in length where another round might be able to slip down the round under it's shoulder. Either way, I donno how he is gonna keep them from slipping and not hinder the... Actually, he might be able to cut the follower in the right spot, but keeping it upright while the mag empties will be tough. Meh, he is the "gunsmith", I'll let him think it all out. I'm too tired.

**The Smith** · 04-29-2012, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by GMB

He has about 10ish hours in each rifle right now, and I donno who made his barrels or if he made them himself, most likely got them made. I can ask him for a run down for each project next time I see him. I will also be begging him to get his FFL01 and build me a few rifles. There is a certain allure to a custom rifle, which is magnified x36 times when it is build on a Mosin Nagant.

I have a custom 5.45 bolt that I want to get made, I've found a custom barrel shop that will do the barrel for roughly $400ish, I just need to get a donor rifle. I'd like to do this build on a Mosin Nagant, but I'll probably settle for a Savage Axis in .223 as a donor.

I've seen mosin receivers for like 30 bucks on slick guns and they are the firearm part if you want to do a total build

**General McBoozer** · 04-29-2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by The Smith

I've seen mosin receivers for like 30 bucks on slick guns and they are the firearm part if you want to do a total build

Haha, the mosin will be the cheap part my friend. And most of the beauty of the rifle comes from it's wooden stock. The reason I might not be able to do it on a mosin, is the custom barrel shop might not be able to thread the barrel onto a mosin receiver for me. In which case, the cost will fly up to way more than I can handle. Thats why I want this other guy to do the build, he has all the right equipment and apparently, depending on how his three builds work out, the skills to pull it off.

**The Smith** · 04-29-2012, 05:50 AM

Originally Posted by GMB

Haha, the mosin will be the cheap part my friend. And most of the beauty of the rifle comes from it's wooden stock. The reason I might not be able to do it on a mosin, is the custom barrel shop might not be able to thread the barrel onto a mosin receiver for me. In which case, the cost will fly up to way more than I can handle. Thats why I want this other guy to do the build, he has all the right equipment and apparently, depending on how his three builds work out, the skills to pull it off.

I just think it would be neat to build one from the ground up I've thought about it but like you said the barrels are a pain in the ass

**General McBoozer** · 04-29-2012, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by The Smith

I just think it would be neat to build one from the ground up I've thought about it but like you said the barrels are a pain in the ass

Building from the ground up is for ARs and rich folks, the rest of us pretty much have to use a donor rifle and add on to it later. Stocks are easy, drill and tap is cheap. I guess you could go through the hassle of finding each and every part for your receiver, but a completed donor rifle will be a lot cheaper and easier in the case of a bolt gun, and honestly, the cheapest part to get too. Those mosin receivers you found, would require the purchase of a parts kit, which puts the total amount spent for the rifle around 20 bucks more than just getting the rifle. I would not want to do that with any current production rifle besides an AR. You can actually "save" cash doing that with an AR.

**The Smith** · 04-29-2012, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by GMB

Building from the ground up is for ARs and rich folks, the rest of us pretty much have to use a donor rifle and add on to it later. Stocks are easy, drill and tap is cheap. I guess you could go through the hassle of finding each and every part for your receiver, but a completed donor rifle will be a lot cheaper and easier in the case of a bolt gun, and honestly, the cheapest part to get too. Those mosin receivers you found, would require the purchase of a parts kit, which puts the total amount spent for the rifle around 20 bucks more than just getting the rifle. I would not want to do that with any current production rifle besides an AR. You can actually "save" cash doing that with an AR.

oh yeah I know I plan on doing it with an ar I just think it would be a fun machining project

**General McBoozer** · 04-29-2012, 07:16 PM

Guess what I found last night, a place that builds Savage 5.45 rifles! http://www.cmparmory.com/ Under services and near the bottom is their rifle. I am fucking stoked, and am gonna buy one as soon has I have 550 bucks. Then comes ammo and a decent scope after a few months.

**The Smith** · 04-29-2012, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by GMB

Guess what I found last night, a place that builds Savage 5.45 rifles! http://www.cmparmory.com/ Under services and near the bottom is their rifle. I am fucking stoked, and am gonna buy one as soon has I have 550 bucks. Then comes ammo and a decent scope after a few months.

you'll have to make a thread on that if you get it I'd really like to see one

**General McBoozer** · 04-29-2012, 07:27 PM

It'll be at least a month before I can save up enough, and that is without buying ammo for any other firearm, which would be hard as shit. I'll make a thread when the time comes.